Mon, Feb 17, 2014 at 9:44 AM

1. The Richmond Housing Authority, a city agency that provides housing to low-income residents, is plagued by mismanagement and financial abuse, according to the Center for Investigative Reporting. The authority also has failed to maintain its properties — one housing complex is in deep disrepair, overrun with mice and riddled with mold and sewage problems. Authority chief Tim Jones blames former management, but records reveal that he has run up expensive meals and trips and has received generous pay bumps while failing to address the squalid conditions of the agency’s properties.

Fri, Jan 10, 2014 at 9:49 AM

1. Jerry Brown’s controversial plan for two massive water tunnels in the Delta could be delayed indefinitely because the governor is wary about putting a large water bond on the ballot this year, the Mercury News$ reports. The multibillion-dollar water bond is needed to help fund the massive water tunnels’ plan. But Brown, who is seeking reelection this year, is worried that a large bond measure on the ballot could hurt him politically.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Fri, Dec 14, 2012 at 2:20 PM

After the horrific mass shooting of elementary school kids in Connecticut today, the Oakland Unified School District sent out the following message to parents and guardians on how to talk to children about community violence. It's written by Dr. David Fassler, a child and adolescent psychiatrist practicing in Burlington, Vermont. He is also a clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Vermont College of Medicine:

"Once again, parents and teachers are faced with the challenge of discussing a tragic incident of community violence with children. Although these may be difficult conversations, they are also important. There is no "right" or "wrong" way to talk with children about such traumatic events. However, here are some suggestions that may be helpful:

Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 6:42 AM

A new poll shows that large majorities of Oakland residents want better maintenance of city roads, an increased emphasis on public safety, and better programs and services for youth. The poll, commissioned by the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, also showed that majorities of city residents expressed support for spending more money on libraries and parks and recreation. However, the survey, conducted by longtime East Bay pollster Alex Evans, did not ask residents how they propose to pay for the programs and services they said they want. In the past, Oakland voters have expressed desires for more services, but then have voted down revenue measures that would have paid for them.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 10:10 AM

For months, Governor Jerry Brown has been calling on supporters of rival tax measures to abandon them in favor of his own. Brown has argued that if there are multiple tax proposals on the November ballot, voters will reject all of them out of frustration or confusion. It’s highly debatable as to whether the governor’s argument is correct, but if it is, then it’s becoming increasingly clear that his tax proposal, the most regressive of the three vying for the ballot, is the one that should be dropped.

Mon, Jan 23, 2012 at 6:43 AM

1. President Obama’s chances of winning reelection suddenly look very strong, as Republicans dig in for a long, nasty presidential primary season. On Saturday night, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich trounced Mitt Romney in the South Carolina primary, snuffing out Romney’s hopes of securing the nomination quickly. The GOP race also has turned ugly — and promises to get even uglier — amid revelations that Gingrich had demanded an open marriage from his second wife, and that Romney has stashed up to $32 million in offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands and has been paying a lower tax rate than the vast majority of Americans. All the while, the president gets to remain above the fray as the GOP presidential hopefuls bloody each other.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Tue, Oct 4, 2011 at 12:03 PM

The future looks grim for young people who've just entered the workforce, according to a new study by the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education. Apparently, young people are more likely to retire in poverty, owing to the fact that most employers now require their workers to invest in 401K accounts, rather than offering benefit pension plans, which used to guarantee a smooth retirement in the old days. As The Daily Cal reported yesterday, 401K plans are risky, because they won't pay dividends if the market does poorly, or if the individual doesn't invest wisely. As the study's editor Nari Rhee told Daily Cal reporter Christopher Yee, "We don't all have the skills to game the system." Fortunately, Rhee's research might have legs: Los Angeles senator Kevin de Leon is working on a bill that would address some of these issues. Call it a dubious silver lining.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Wed, Jun 8, 2011 at 11:53 AM

Following on the heels of San Francisco and Oakland, Richmond began the process of ratifying ordinance that would grant municipal ID cards to anyone living in the city, the Contra Costa Times reports. Designed specifically to benefit undocumented immigrants, transgender people, and indigents, the law would grant any cardholder access to city services, regardless of federal ID or green card status. That would mean that anyone with a municipal card could open a bank account in Richmond. City council members added a few perks to sweeten the pot for all residents — like adding access to libraries — so that the cards wouldn't become a stigma for certain populations. And so far, the law appears to be gaining momentum. It's passed two out of three required city council votes so far, and should go on the books July 5, if all goes according to plan. Not surprisingly, detractors say it would encourage illegal immigration.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Fri, May 13, 2011 at 10:15 PM

Just because two months have passed and we've turned our attention to wondering why James was voted off American Idol, that doesn't mean Japan has recovered from its tsunami — or that relief efforts aren't still desperately needed.